Gaston's Runway Condition

gibbons

gibbons

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I flew over Gaston's today but didn't land. The runway itself looks great, except for quite a bit of standing water at the west end and in the tie down area. I can't imagine it drying out completely by Friday so take care when you get to that end of the runway.
 
IIRC, it was pretty wet on that side on Sunday morning last year.
ApacheBob
 
Yikes... the only time I have seen standing water there was after it rained so much that we stragglers weren't able to get out on Sunday last year. (Runway turned to mud...)

Updates are appreciated here!
 
Just talked to Linda and Gayle (Gail?) at Gaston's. The Yaks came in last weekend with no problems. They had a big storm this morning, which explains the pooling.. Lake is 40' higher than usual, the river is really high and flowing. Planes out there now that flew in for dinner with no issues. Gayle says the runway drains very quickly; the sun came out this afternoon and things pretty much dried out.
 
I know I won't be the first one there, so I'll let someone else try it out first and ask for advisory on the radio! :yes:
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Just talked to Linda and Gayle (Gail?) at Gaston's. The Yaks came in last weekend with no problems. They had a big storm this morning, which explains the pooling.. Lake is 40' higher than usual, the river is really high and flowing. Planes out there now that flew in for dinner with no issues. Gayle says the runway drains very quickly; the sun came out this afternoon and things pretty much dried out.
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Sounds good. I recall the runway drying out pretty fast last year.
 
....heading out to the iarport to put on the mudders.....
 
TangoWhiskey said:
the sun came out this afternoon and things pretty much dried out.
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It does drain pretty quickly and if we don't get any more rain it will be fine, but this is just bogus. I flew over at about 4:00 pm and there was a lake at the tiedown area. There was one Cessna there. I'm sure it will be fine but everyone needs to be aware that it may be wet or muddy there, and saying it's "pretty much dried out" doesn't paint an accurate picture.
 
That low area just in front of the permanent tiedown area seems to be a perennial problem, despite previous promises to fix it. If you stay to the "river side" of the runway at the west end you should be okay.

A few of us should be on the ground early and will check it out. If there's a problem a few phone calls, message posts, and radio calls will be made to get the word out.

My plane was built for unimproved strips so I'm not too, concerned, but it may be an issue for wheel pants, heavy planes, narrow tires, or small tailwheels.

All the more reason to get a visual on the runway before committing to land.
 
We'll probably call for a report on the way in. Maybe we'll stop for lunch at Lamberts and come in later in the afternoon.
 
Chip, thanks for the runway condition report. I may consider parking the Citabria in front of our cottage...it seems to be drier down there.
 
smigaldi said:
MAN! I just spent 4 hours washing and waxing my plane. Perhaps I should cancel ;)
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Oh toughen up, Scott. The PA-28 is durable aircraft, it'll handle a little mud. ;)
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Oh toughen up, Scott. The PA-28 is durable aircraft, it'll handle a little mud. ;)
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It can, I can't. My back still hurts from bending over and climbing underneath it to clean it up.

You may not recall but a couple of month ago I had an oil cooler leak. So cleaning up the belly was rather painful!
 
smigaldi said:
It can, I can't. My back still hurts from bending over and climbing underneath it to clean it up.

You may not recall but a couple of month ago I had an oil cooler leak. So cleaning up the belly was rather painful!
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I was on the creeper yesterday cleaning my dirty belly...it made me feel claustrophobic, but if she is going to be in a movie it was worth it. ;)

And now Tom and Joe are going to fly it here at the farm today and tomorrow and get it all dirty. I hope Joe is good at cleaning airplanes. :D
 
We got pretty good rain here today by Aurora, IL. If 3MO got the same rain, it could be pretty sloppy. I hope someone posts the runway condition late Friday so I can possibly re-consider.
:blueplane:
ApacheBob
 
It was no big deal last year. I wouldn't advise taxiing through the mud but the majority of it only accumulates at the ends. Taxi another 100 ft past that and you're clear. I doubt anyone should have problems with a 3200 ft strip. If so, abort. Simple as that.
 
Diana. Phil was wondering if he could stop in the BT-13 at Lamar and get Tom to fly the rest of the way with him. What are your plans? Are you going down on Thursday? Looks like one hell of a x-wind predicted.

I'll PM you.
 
Diana said:
I was on the creeper yesterday cleaning my dirty belly...it made me feel claustrophobic, but if she is going to be in a movie it was worth it. ;)
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I know what you mean!! There are time when I am under there I feel like I am going to trapped forever! I really hate getting under the car because then I also start feeling like the car will fall off of the jacks and trap me.
 
ApacheBob said:
We got pretty good rain here today by Aurora, IL. If 3MO got the same rain, it could be pretty sloppy. I hope someone posts the runway condition late Friday so I can possibly re-consider.
:blueplane:
ApacheBob
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I don't care how much rain they get at 3MO...as long as it doesn't show up at not 3M0. :D
 
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Just hit the info button after you put the three letter identifier in and it will tell you if you have the right one entered. Bob Sorry I won't be there this year but, I will be thinking about all of you. Have fun. Bob
 
Keith Lane said:
Yikes!!! 40 FEET higher? :hairraise::D
Ship some of that water down here to Atlanta. We're looking at another drought year methinks....
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We've got some extra water we can ship ya... But you'll have to take the bumper crop of mosquitos that goes with it. :eek:
 
129GC is parked. Runway is as Chip posted earlier. Firm and dry at the approach end. Uneventful full no-mudflap landing. A few damp spots at the parking end. Easily spotted by the contrasting vegetation. I think I saw Bonanaza tracks thru one of them. Conditions are favorable for further drying today, tonight and tomorrow. Occasional brisk breeze out of the SW. Grounds crew are mowing. The grass is quite short as it is, however.

Also, the Village Market in Bull Shoals is closed. Two weeks ago a new, more modern grocery store opened across the street run by the same management.

Forecast high for tomorrow - 90 F. Higher chance of showers on Friday after 10am. Partly sunny Sat. and Sun.

I'll be monitoring Unicom. Call my N number if you need to.
 
Steve said:
Forecast high for tomorrow - 90 F. Higher chance of showers on Friday after 10am. Partly sunny Sat. and Sun.

I'll be monitoring Unicom. Call my N number if you need to.
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Those winds are getting my attention. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]18015G25KT[/FONT], and I don't know exactly what those ridges and valleys are going to do with that. I'll probably try a low pass first, and land at BPK and ask for a shuttle if I don't like things.
 
Grant, the wind at ground level at 3M0 tends to be pretty benign- it is nicely sheltered by the ridge and all that.
 
But the tailwind for Spike and I will be WONDERMOUS!
 
And the headwind once I get past this occluded front will be f**king horrendous :)
 
I might actually be able to wiggle away for a quick morning trip on Saturday. I hope I can make it down to meet a few of you folks.

Just look for the pretty '52 straight tail...

She'll be sitting in the right seat of my pretty '58 straight tail!

;)
 
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